


A Vow of Purity

by kesmith



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: A night of Firsts, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arthur is a sweetheart, Barebacking, Bottom Merlin, Existing Relationship, First Love, First Time, Fluff, M/M, Merthur sex, Romance, multiple POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 09:51:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/860780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kesmith/pseuds/kesmith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin pledged a vow of purity. And after three long years of waiting Arthur is determined to make tonight a night of many first times.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Vow of Purity

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin and Arthur are both 18 and are about to graduate in a few months from High School.
> 
> This short story just came to mind to me and I wanted to put it out there. This is also my first AU for High School and I am sort of testing it out. Please be kind and share some love with reviews, bookmarks, and kudos. Thank you.

Vow of Purity

 

"So," Lance said while slamming his locker door shut in the locker room after footy practice, "Tonight's _the_ night?"

 

He didn't really need the answer by looking at Arthur's besotted face that was blushing red by the second with a wide smile. "Yes, tonight's _the night_."

 

"How long has it been anyway?" Gwaine asked while stripping off his towel nude as the day he was born before getting dressed, with no shame hanging everywhere for all to see.

 

"Its been three years since we've been together."

 

"I still cannot believe that you both waited three years before shagging. Now I know you've done all of snogging all around but no shagging, I don't think I could have waited that long." Percival said.

 

Arthur continued to smile. "Merlin promised a vow a purity early on and he has that purity ring to prove it remember?"

 

"I remember, he told me about when he moved here from Ealdor. It was something that both he and his best mate Will pledged along with several other students in his school, but really, that's a long time to wait." Gwaine said honestly but with understanding.

 

"Its only a long time to wait if that is all that you really want or think about." Arthur said with a shrug. Everyone knew that Gwaine would sleep with anything on two legs.

 

"Oh, come off of it Princess, you shagged lots of girls and boys I might add before Merlin so you cannot tell me this was easy." Gwaine edged on.

 

"Gwaine..." Lance warned.

 

"No, its alright." Arthur responded. "It was not easy at first but what I found in Merlin made it all worth while. You see, its not always about quantity, sometimes it is about quality. Merlin is like a fine wine that only can get better in time. And waiting made me realize just how much Merlin means to me and how special sex is _supposed to be_ , which I took for granted. I don't even think I can remember the details about my first time. I barely remember who with. Can you?" Arthur said looking at the room at his friends. But it was Lance that answered.

 

"I remember when Gwen and I had our first time together. I wouldn't trade it for the world. It felt like a gift that I will treasure for the rest of my life and what was even more special was the fact that I could share the same gift with her." Lance said dreamily.

 

"Your just whipped, the both of you," Gwaine said, "And that doesn't count."

 

But Lance wasn't fazed. "Why doesn't it though? I'll tell you why. Because the person you shared your first time with held no significance for you. So something that special will be something of unimportance from that day forward or until at least you find that special someone. But I waited and that moment was special for me the first go round and that something that cannot be taken away."

 

"He's right." Percival said "He's right, we want to have the pleasures of sex but we fail to hold the significance of what it means not only for ourselves but from the one that we share it with. We get the instant gratification of sex but not the joy of actually being with someone who means something to us the same way that we mean to them."

 

Arthur nodded, "Merlin made that vow of purity before he even met me and I would have been damned to try to begrudge him of it or to betray the faith that he had in me just to take something pure away from him. Not to mention he is one of my best mates and the love of my life." Arthur could have felt embarrassed sharing himself so openly to his friends but with Merlin, that was never the case.

 

"Or that he happens to be the prettiest guy that we have ever met. Not to mention the most shaggable." Gwaine added.

 

Arthur's nostrils flared just a little in jealousy and his eyes sparked. He never forgot that Gwaine got to Merlin first. They dated a few weeks with Gwaine knowing just how much Arthur wanted Merlin to be his from day one. Arthur was just a little too shy to approach Merlin. There was just something so different about Merlin that Arthur's usual flirtation methods were completely null and void. It finally took Morgana yelling at him for moping around the house and school and telling him to man up and do something before he lost Merlin for good to get him going only to find out that Merlin was hoping for Arthur to ask him out all along too.

 

Gwaine caught that jealousy stirring in motion for Arthur and responded to it immediately, "He's yours Princess, but you can't deny that others can and will find Merlin attractive and _shaggable_." Lance popped Gwaine on the back of the head. "Oi! What?" Gwaine responded like he was completely innocent in all things. Everyone just shook their heads.

 

Lance put an arm around Arthur's shoulder saying quietly, "It will be special for him because it is with you, and it will be special for you because it is him." Arthur nodded while flushing a little just thinking about it.

 

"I can see you are going to be an even bigger love sick fool that you already are in the morning, "Percival said.

 

Arthur just smiled, "I'll see you lot later, I told Merlin I would meet him by his locker at 5."

 

Arthur knew he heard things like you get him tiger and be safe as he walked out of the locker room but he only had one thing on his mind and that one thing was Merlin. See, what the lot did not know and what Merlin did not know was that Arthur was not only going to have his first time with Merlin that night, he was also going to propose. He had already spoken with his father about it and had spoken to Merlin's mom Hunith a few weeks before getting permission for Merlin's hand in marriage. Hunith only took Arthur in her arms saying, _"I've been waiting for this moment for the last year. Welcome to the family."_ While Uther said that he was proud that Arthur was making an honest man out of Merlin and at least he could still rely on Morgana for the grandchildren. Morgana sputtered her wine out on that one spilling red wine all out on the white table cloth at the dinner table. He and Merlin were both graduating this year and made plans to go to Oxford together in the fall. They were going to go apartment hunting during the summer but after finding out Arthur's intentions Uther decided to give one of the family estates to both Merlin and Arthur staff and all as a wedding present and the estate just happened to be 20 minutes away from the Oxford campus by car. Now he just had to see if Merlin would say yes.

 

_"You know he's going to say yes, Arthur." Morgana said while rolling her eyes listening to Arthur yet again about his plan._

_"You can't know that for certain." Arthur replied nervously._

_"Arthur, its been three years! If Merlin wanted someone else he would have left you by now. God knows he has had plenty of offers!"_

_Arthur jealousy flared again, jaw clinching immediately. "I don't want to hear about that, Morgana."_

_Morgana had the decency to look guilty knowing full well what the thought of Merlin being with someone else did to Arthur. "Sorry. But still Merlin loves you. He is not going anywhere. Have a little faith in him and while you're at it, have a little faith in yourself too."_

Arthur could have been angry still about that conversation but he knew that she was right. The vow of purity was important to Merlin because it was a vow promised not to wait until marriage perse but it was promise to wait until you found _'the one'_ and Merlin was breaking that promise tonight for him. Just thinking about it did _things_ to Arthur. To know that Merlin thought of him as being the one, the one person that he wanted to spend that special night with. Out of all of the opportunities he decided to _wait for him_. Arthur only hoped he could live up to the expectation.

 

Arthur kept walking through the school until he got to the J building and found the object of his affections standing at his locker. Leaning his back on it with his eyes closed. Now _Merlin_ was a beauty. Merlin had beautiful dark curly thick short hair to stood up at the oddest angles. He was pale, milky pale, skin that the models would sell their first born for. And his eyes, were the deepest shade of blue like the ocean waters setting up such a contrast between his skin and dark hair. His nose was straight with no bumps or odd angles and his mouth, Merlin had a mouth that Arthur could suck on for hours and has in fact done so. And Arthur would be remiss if he failed to think about Merlin's cheekbones while cataloging Merlin or his ears. Merlin may hate his ears but secretly, Arthur _loved_ them. He loved to nibble on it, to suck on it, and to lick on it over and over again. Arthur realized a long time ago that there wasn't a thing about Merlin that he did not love, even his cheeky comments and odd retorts made him love Merlin even more. And in that moment Arthur knew that he made the right decision with his intentions. There would never be anyone else.

 

Arthur tried to sneak up on Merlin but should have known better. Everyone who knows them says they are like magnets that are drawn to the other. There is not a time where the other would not be able to know where the other one is when in the same room together. Merlin always called them jigsaw puzzles because they were a perfect fit when their bodies held on to the other keeping him warm. Arthur always thought they were two sides of the same coin. The phrase stuck to him when it was in his fortune cookie that he received when he and Merlin had their first date at Kilgharrah's Chinese restaurant. Apparently Kilgharrah's fortune cookies seemed to be for young lovers because on their fifth date Arthur's fortune cookie said that he has found the half that makes him whole. Arthur still has those fortune cookie messages in his nightstand by his bedside three years later.

 

"Hey beautiful." Arthur said looking into Merlin's eyes leaning in to give a small kiss being mindful that they were still on school grounds in the hallway no less.

 

"Hey handsome." Merlin returned the kiss immediately wrapping his arms up Arthur's shoulders to rest on his neck. Arthur immediately shivered by the contact.

 

"Are we ready?" Arthur asked and they both knew that ready to leave was not the only question that was being asked.

 

1\. Ready to go?

2\. Ready for tonight?

3\. Ready to have sex for the first time?

4\. Ready to have sex with me?

 

And for Arthur's

5\. Ready to propose?

 

Merlin flushed, licked his lips (Arthur followed the movement), and beamed at Arthur. "I am ready." And Arthur beamed back.

 

*

 

For tradition sakes Arthur thought it would befitting to take Merlin out to dinner at the same place that they had their first date, Kilgharrah's. Merlin and Arthur shared char siu (roast pork), beef with oyster sauce, and dim sum, followed by dumplings. Chinese was never Arthur's favorite restaurant, Indian was Arthur's favorite but Chinese was Merlin's. And Arthur would always give Merlin anything that he wanted. Arthur waited for his fortune cookie with his hands under his legs with excitement. He wanted final confirmation and had a feeling that the cookie would give it to him and he was not disappointed. Cracking the cookie open quickly tossing it to the side he read, " _You have found the one who completes you."_ To this day Merlin never found out what Arthur's fortune cookies said. Merlin always said that his own cookies had random messages. But Arthur's, Arthur closed his eyes for a moment, grinned, folded the paper, and tucked it away in his pocket to store in his nightstand by his bedside at the soonest opportunity. Happy and content.

 

Merlin's eyes twinkled at him and he smiled, "Did you like what it said?"

 

"Yes," smiling at Merlin and grabbing his hand, "I did."

 

*

 

"Are you nervous?" Arthur asked once he and Merlin made it up to his bedroom.

 

"A little bit." Merlin answered honestly, almost shy but not hesitant.

 

Arthur walked over to Merlin placing his hands on each side of Merlin's waist and resting his forehead on Merlin's, "Do you want any wine or something to calm the nerves?"

 

Merlin shook his head while his forehead was still on Arthur's, "No, I don't want anything to take away from it, from us. I want to remember and I want it to be right."

 

Arthur's heart skipped a beat for love for this man in front of him, his man. "That's good, because I don't want anything to take away from this moment either."

 

"You've got everything?" Merlin asked.

 

"I am completely prepared, we've got the lube and we know that I have been tested several times over the years and have been found clean and since we have no intentions of being with anyone else the condoms are not necessary."

 

Merlin let out a breath, "Correct."

 

"Are you sure?"

 

"Arthur, we planned on this date for weeks now. It is our anniversary of our first date and first kiss, I don't think I can be more sure of anything in my life than I am right now."

 

Arthur smiled and leaned in to kiss Merlin's top lip and then to nibble on his bottom lip. "I love you, Merlin."

 

Merlin smiled brightly, dimples and all, before responding, "I love you too, Arthur."

 

Arthur cradled Merlin's head in his hands because sliding in to cradle his face hands on Merlin's cheeks angling his face for just the perfect angle to kiss. Merlin arched into the kiss to adjust in the same way. Arthur's kisses were always consuming even when given tenderly, it stamped ownership all over it and Arthur was playing for keeps with his kisses. Arthur pecked here, sucked there, nibbled here, licked there, and kept on going until his tongue licked every crevice in Merlin's mouth. Merlin could not do anything when Arthur was like this but let go and let go he did loving every moment of it.

 

When Merlin and Arthur first met Merlin knew that Arthur was the one. He just knew. He just didn't understand why Arthur never asked him out and then Gwaine came along first and Gwaine was sweet mind you, and that was that. But it only took a few weeks for Merlin to realize that he was only going out with Gwaine as a substitute for what he really wanted and chastised himself because it was not fair to Gwaine or to himself. So Merlin let Gwaine go and continued to wait, continued to pine daily and as a teenage, days it felt like years when it was only weeks. Eventually Arthur worked up the nerve stopping Merlin after school at his locker and after 20 seconds of standing there dumbfounded Arthur finally broke down and asked Merlin out on a date. It was one of the happiest moments of Merlin's life. Merlin couldn't say that all of their three years were entirely happy. They argued, Arthur sometimes acted like a prat, Merlin was insecure because he knew that Arthur was experienced while he was not. And he constantly thought that one of the many girls or boys that threw themselves at Arthur for his attention would finally take him away. It took a lot of time and a lot of arguments for Arthur to assure Merlin that he did not want to be with anyone else and a lot of trust.

 

Merlin's thought that Arthur was the one never left him though and that lead them up to this.

 

Clothes started slowly coming off as Arthur continued to kiss Merlin leading their way to the bed. Arthur moved from Merlin's lips to his chin, to his jaw, to his neck biting and licking and leaving marks along the way. He continued down to his collarbone until they finally made it to the bed. Merlin slid in until he made it to the pillows invitingly and they took a good hard look at each other. Hunger, lust, arousal, and love shining all the way through in both of their expressions before Arthur climbed on top nudging a knee to open Merlin's legs which he did easily.

 

"I love you." Arthur said again with intensity.

 

"I love you right back." Merlin responded in turn.

 

Arthur leaned in and devoured Merlin's mouth again. Merlin wrapped his arms and legs around Arthur and held on tight. They kissed and they kissed, and _oh_ did they kiss. Hands and arms were moving everywhere and names and declarations of love along with some filthy, _filthy_ other things were being called out. There will be bruises in the morning, but neither Merlin or Arthur found it in their heart to care.

 

Arthur prepared Merlin slowly, the first finger went in easily, they have played with these things before. But that was about as far as they have gotten with the exception of a hand job here or there. Not trusting themselves to go any further. The second finger made Merlin tense, _Arthur had chunky fingers_.

 

"Relax love."

 

Merlin nodded, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, squeezed his butt cheeks, and let go. Arthur second finger made it in much easier then.

 

"That's right baby, let go." Arthur whispered while leaning back in to get another kiss before sliding down and kissing Merlin's chest and licking his nipples. Arthur continued to finger Merlin stretching him and scissoring him, moving until...until...

 

Merlin almost leaped on the bed, "Arthur! Fuck!"

 

"You like that don't you?"

 

Merlin kept turning his head from side to side as Arthur continued to hit _that_ spot, "Yes, fuckety fuck!" And Merlin came, trembling from the feeling that came over him. But Arthur didn't stop and he knew that Merlin didn't want him to either.

 

Arthur then added the third finger and continued stretching Merlin loving every bit of Merlin's heavy breathing and moans. And the sound of his name coming through those luscious lips.

 

"Arthur.. Arthur I think I'm ready."

 

Arthur nodded before leaning up and capturing Merlin into another tantalizing kiss. The kiss went on and on for minutes while their hands continued to grope for purchase wanting to just _feel_. Merlin helped Arthur put lube on his cock and Arthur was set to Merlin's entrance while they looked into the others' eyes.

 

"I love you." Arthur could not say it enough.

 

"Make love to me, Arthur." And make love Arthur did.

 

He took his time entering in, every stiff moment and whine from Merlin made Arthur take his time. Arthur knew that he was big and he did not want to hurt Merlin. It took five times but eventually all of Arthur was in Merlin. And Arthur waited, he waited until it didn't hurt anymore and until Merlin relaxed, he waited until...

 

"Arthur, fucking _move_ already!"

 

And Arthur _smiled_ and then he moved. Slowly he moved in pushed in and out but without too much force while thrusting deep just the same. He was too afraid to hurt Merlin and he knew that Merlin would say something if he wanted him to speed up. After all, this was Merlin's first time and it was all about him. He continued to thrust slowly leaning in and kissing Merlin deeply whispering words of forever kissing down Merlin's neck and leaving more love bites in his wake before repeating the process. They moved together in perfect harmony, they always knew that they fit but now they know that they fitted in _every_ way. Merlin wrapped his legs around Arthur's waist and wrapped his arms around Arthur's strong and broad shoulders before saying, "Faster Arthur, I can take it." And with that it seemed like restraints were let go in Arthur because his thrust came fast, strong, swift, and powerful. Consuming Merlin, breaking him apart and putting him back together in each press. And with each thrust Arthur started hitting that spot again, over and over and over again.

 

"Arthur..."

 

_"Arthur!"_

 

**_"Arthur!!"_ **

 

And with that Merlin came again clinching his walls tight around Arthur causing Arthur to come only six more thrust later. Arthur collapsed on Merlin, they both were breathing raggedly while holding on to the other. Arthur meant to move off shortly after but Merlin kept him there.

 

"I might crush you." Arthur said reluctantly.

 

"I'm not made of glass Arthur, besides, I love the way you feel on top of me." And Arthur loved the way he felt at that moment as they muzzled their noses together and as he gave gentle pecks of kisses to Merlin's lips.

 

"I love you." Arthur whispered.

 

"I love you too, Arthur."

 

"Merlin?" Arthur called out while nibbling on Merlin's neck.

 

"Yes, Arthur."

 

"Will you marry me?"

 

And Merlin stiffened immediately in hearing that and Arthur stiffened immediately in reflex. Both stiffening for two different reasons. Merlin in shock and Arthur in fear of rejection. But Merlin knew Arthur too well.

 

"Arthur?"

 

Arthur swallowed, preparing himself. "Yes, love."

 

"Look at me."

 

Arthur leaned up on his forearms to look into Merlin's eyes and Merlin saw fear in Arthur's. "What did I say when we discussed what was going to happen tonight?"

 

Arthur blushed as he thought about some of the things that they said was going to happen tonight before he searched out the important stuff to answer the actual question. "You said, you said you knew that I was the one."

 

"So," Merlin said putting both hands on Arthur's face, "That means there is no getting rid of me. Are you ready for that?"

 

Arthur smiled, "Always." and then Arthur paused, "So the answer is?" Arthur had to hear the answer.

 

"Yes, Arthur." Merlin responded almost exasperated but equally fond, "Yes, I will marry you."

 

And Arthur beamed at Merlin and he continued to look at him in awe sparking Merlin's attention even further.

 

"What?" Merlin asked.

 

Arthur moved a stray hair away from Merlin's face before grinning like a loon and responding, "You are finally _mine_."

 

Merlin shook his head at that, "No Arthur, I was _always_ yours."

 

And Arthur was so excited by that response that he kissed Merlin with such adoration that it led to round two which led to round three. They lost count on three. Both of them thinking that nothing could possibly top the high that they were feeling right now having the other in their arms and knowing it will be this way for the rest of their lives. Knowing full well that it would not be easy but also knowing that the best things in life never are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please be kind and share some love with reviews, bookmarks, and kudos. Thank you.


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